Foundation garment with abdominal control panel



March 7, 1961 DlEBOLD 2,973,765

FOUNDATION GARMENT WITH ABDOMINAL CONTROL PANEL Filed Aug. 1, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 March 7, 1961 G. L. DIEBOLD FOUNDATION GARMENT WITH ABDOMINAL CONTROL PANEL Filed Aug. 1, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 t d See Pate... Q .I

. FOUNDATION GARMENT WITH ABliOMINAL CONTROL PANEL George L. Diebold, Skokie, 111., assignor to Venus nounfi Garments; Inc}, Chicago, 111;, a corporation of Delaware' j massa ing Sen-No. 752,555 e wclatms'. (cram-s41) invention relates toFinmprovements in foundation garments and-more particularly to' a novel and improved abdominal'control panel therefor. g M

One of the problems "to be overcome in the design of a satisfactoryfoundationgarment is that of providing a garment construction which comfortably supports and flattens a wearers abdomen while in an erectoristanding position andwhich'does not uncomfortably restrict or bind the wearer while in a bending or sitting position. It

bending or sitting-position, particularlyaround the hips.

j=In addition, a bodily constriction effect occurs'fat the 'abdomenand waist of an individual during the aforesaid bending and sitting positions sueh that the presence of a rigid or unyielding panel at this point r'esultszin discomfort to the wearer.

flS well known that an increase in-' the bodilylength and. Q 'girth"dimei1sions occurs when an indiyidual assur'nes a Many of the foundation garments heretofore advanced were inadequatein that they failed to recognize and provide for one or both of the aforementioned effects, or

in an effort to insurea comfortable garment, failed to provide adequate support .and/orfsluflicient' flattening of the wearers abdomen. Garments which'utilizeda' rigid or isemi-rigid panel in theirfront portion to provide abdominal flattening and support duringstandingi and which depended upon the lateral tension in thejgarment fabric to horizontally tension the-panel in order to achieve the desired control, were generally'uncomfortable when the -.l

wearer was in a bending or sitting position. Moreover,

the increased tension forces i'nthe fabricof garments 'of the latter type that oecurredwhen the wearer was in a bending or sittingposition, oftentimes caused a shortening 'of the life of the garment and in some prior garment constructions thatembodied aseparateabdominal control fortable and unrestriotive when the wearer is in "a bending or sitting position.

Accordingly, it is a general objectof my invention to provide an improved abdominal control panel construction fora foundation garment which overcomes'the defects and objections in articles 'of this type, asheretofore noted.

A specific object of the invention to 'pro vide' afnovel I abdominal controlpanel construction for a-foundation garment that is adapted to comfortably supportandflatten the abdomen of a wearer while inanerect of .standing p sitiontam ,which is o. cons ruc ed and arr as taken in conjunction with wherein: 7 5

' Fig. -1 is affront elevational view of a foundation garment embodying the principles of instance a girdle;

1 }Fig. '-8--is an enlarged fragmentary cross-sectional taken alongthe line 88 of Fig. 6.. a g

Although the invention will hereinafter be described in "conjunction with two embodiments thereof, namely a 'girdle and parity girdle, it will be understood that the 2,973,765 Fatented Marme a . 2 Y to accommodate changes in bodily dimensions and remain comfortable when the wearer assumes a bending or sitting position.

Still-another object of the invention is to provide a novel abdominal control panel construction that is adapted to cooperate with the front portion of a foundation garment to provide improved abdominal control characteristics;

A further object of the invention is to provide animproved abdominal control panel construction for a foundation garment that resists bunching and pleating of the "panel upon bending or sitting of the wearer.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the subsequent detailed description the accompanying drawings,

my invention, in this Fig; 2 is a plan View of the interior of the garment as the latter wouldlook if broken and spread out;

-*Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-sectional view taken along the line 3.3 of Fig. 1

WFig, 4 is an enlarged fragmentarycross-sectional view taken al'ong the line 4-4-of Fig. 1;

f Fig. 5 is a front elevational-view of another foundation 1 garment embodyihg the, principles of instance apanty girdle;

'ment as theglatterwould look if turned inside out; v

" *Fig. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-sectional View.

my invention, in this Fig. 6- is an elevational view of the interior'of the artaken along the line 77 of Fig. '6; and

view

principles involved are also'applicable to other types of foundation garments such as corselets and all-in-one combination garments.

Briefly described, my invention contemplates a novel abdominal control panel that is adapted to be cooperatively disposed adjacent the inside front portion of-"a foundation garment so as to overlie the wearersabdoe "men and comfortably support and control the same. The control panel has a main portion which is preferably formed of a one-way stretch elastic fabric material arranged to accommodate vertical stretching but to resist horizontal elongation, and an intermediate V-shaped elastic insert, preferably 'of two-way stretch elastic fabric materia'l, is connected to the lower marginal edge of the main portion of the control panel as a continuation there'- of and has its lower marginal edge connected to the front portion of the garment to preserve the horizontal stretchability of the garment. The control panel thus has an indirect non rigid connection to the front portion of the gar ment and its vertical side edges are unattached. The

.panel is tensioned as a result of the downward and horizontally outward forces applied thereto from the-adjacent fabric of the front portion of the garment when the wearer is in 'an erect orstanding position, thereby to provide the desired abdominal support and flattening action. .The aforementioned downward tension force is; not

present'when the-wearer is bending or sitting so that-the Lgarment remains comfortable and does not restrict the :wearersabdomen. ,fReferring now to Figs. .1 and 2 of the drawings, the

:abdominal control panel of the present invention is illustrated in conjunction with a foundation garment, inv this .i'nstance' a girdle 10, which comprises one specific. embodiment thereof. The girdle includes a front portion 11, a connectedrear portion 12, and a plurality of garters 3. or hose support means 13 secured to the lower marginal edges of the front and rear portions. The front portion 11 (Fig. 1) also includes a transverse V-shaped seam 1-4 that generally overlies the groin line of the wearer anddivides the front portion llinto an upper half 16 overlying the abdomen and waist of the wearer and a lower half 17 that overlies the wearers hips, the apex of the seam 14 being at the center of the garment. The upper half 16 of the front portion 11 is subdivided into a center section 18 and a pair of spaced side panel sections 19 by a transversely spaced pair of inwardly concave generally vertical seams 21. The vertical seams 21 extend from the upper edge of the garment and terminate at their intersection with the V-shaped seam 14. Open stitching is used in the'searns 14 and 21 to divide the front portion of the garment into four separate panels, namely, a center panel section 18, a transversely spaced pair of upper panels 19, and a lower hip encircling panel 22, formed by the lower front half 17 of the garment. A central vertical seam 23 extends the full longitudinal length of the front portion of the garment and centrally secures the abdominal control panel of the invention thereto for a purpose and function as will hereinafter be described in more detail. Vertically arrangedstiffeners or stays 24 are disposed along-the upper end portions of the seams 21 and at other points around the top of the garment for additional waist control.

Thus, the front portion 11 of the girdle is divided into four sections or panels 18, 19 and 22, which are joined by the open stitched seams 14 ,and 21 and which cooperate to control the wearers hips, waist and abdomen. The center panel section 1 8 provides support and control to the wearers abdomen, this action being supplemented by the abdominal control panel of the present invention as will hereinafter be described.

Each of the panel sections 18, 19 and 22, which make up the front portion 11 of the girdle, are preferably formed from an elastic fabric known in the trade as Leno weave with an elastic warp. Such a fabric is stretchable or elongatable in one direction and elongatable by distortion to a limited extent in a direction transverse to its direction of elastic extensibility, the fabric being arranged in this instance to be stretchable in a horizontal direction and elongatab-le by distortion in avertical direction. It should be understood however, that other elastic fabrics could be utilized in the construction of "the front portion 11 of the girdle, as for example elastic net.

As best seen in Fig. 2 the rear portion 12 of the garment may be formed from two separate elastic fabric pieces 26 and 2'7, of similar material to the fabric used in the front portion 11, the rear panel pieces being joined along :a central vertically extending seam 28 and to the front portion 11 by a pair of vertically extending side seams 29 and 31. A slide fastener 32 is provided in one of the side seams in the usual manner.

In order to provide control over the buttocks and hips of the wearer, the rear panel pieces 26 and 27 may also include a pair of resilient vertically elongated control panels 33 which are disposed on the inside of the girdle and appliqued to the rear panel sections by peripheral stitching 34. The control panels 33 are preferably formed from one-way stretch fabric arranged to accommodate vertical elongation but to resist horizontal stretching. Each control panel 33 has a central vertically extending fabric enclosed stiffener or stay 36 stitched thereto at its upper end to provide additional control. Similar stays 37 may be provided at other points around the upper portion of the girdle for additional control at the wearers waist. Reference should bemade to my prior US. Patent No. 2,659,889 for the details and construction of a foundation garment employing control panels at Referring now to Figs. 3 and 4 in conjunction with the Figs. 1 and 2, the abdominal control panel of the present invention will now be described. As best shown in Fig. 2, the abdominal control panel is generally indicated at 40 and is disposed on the inside of the front portion 11 of the garment so as to overlie the abdomen of the wearer and underlie the center panel 18. The abdominal control panel 40 is generally somewhat diamond shaped and preferably comprises a central or main section 41 of one-way stretch elastic fabric, such as satin elastic, that is stretchable in one direction but Wholly inelastic in a transverse direction, the fabric being arranged in this instance to accommodate vertical stretching but to resist horizontal elongation, and a V-shaped two-way stretch elastic fabric insert or connecting section 42 secured to the lower marginal edge 43 of the rnlain section 41 and forming a continuation thereof. The abdominal control panel 40 is connected by stitching to the inside front portion of the garment along an upper horizontal edge 44 of the main panel section 41 at the upper edge of the garment and along a lower V-shaped marginal edge 46 of the elastic insert 42 which coincides with the groin line seam 14. Preferably, the panel 40 is also attached centrally along the seam 23 -(Fig. 1) that extends longitudinally for the full length of the garment.

The V-shaped elastic fabric insert 42 is necessary in order to maintain thev horizontal or girth elasticity of the garment during bending or sitting, inasmuch as the main section 41 is horizontally inelastic. The elastic insert 42 also contributes. to the effective tensioning of the main section 41 by translating the various stresses in the fabric of the front portion 11 into a tensioning force on the main section 41 when the wearer is in an erect or standing position. v

The side edges'of the abdominal control panel 40, indicated at 47, are unattached to the front portion 11 to preserve the horizontal elasticity of the garment and are upwardly and inwardly tapered in order to conserve material and to provide greater elasticity at the waist portion of the garment. stiffening means, such as elastic tape or webbing 48, is stitched to the side edges 46 to prevent curling and wrinkling of the control panel fabric when the wearer is in a bending or sitting position.

The central longitudinal connection of the abdominal control panel 40 along the seam 23 to the front portion of the garment is desirable to prevent shifting of the panel during bending or sideways movements of the wearer and to prevent bunching of the control panel fabric. The seam 23 is covered with a strip of smooth fabric '49 to prevent chafing, and together with the underlying layers of fabric also serves to beneficially stiffen the front portion 11 of the garment.

In use, the horizontal elongation or expansion of the lower half 17 of the garment is transmitted from the garment fabric to the elastic insert 42 and thence to the main section 41 of the abdominal control panel 40. As a result of the V-shaped configuration of the elastic insert 42 and lower marginal edge 43 of the main panel section 41 the horizontal expansion or girth elongation of the girdle fabric is resolved into downward and outward force components which are effective to tension the semi-elastic fabric of the main section 41 to thus provide the desired control characteristics when the wearer is standing. The aforesaid downward and outward tensioning force components are increased if hose are concurrently being worn with the girdle 16. Upon sitting or bending the novel arrangement and attachment of the control panel 49 is effective to accommodate the aforementioned bodily width increase and to release tension in the main section 41. The garment thus does not restrict the wearers abdomen during bending or sitting and remains comfortable without interfering with bodily movement of the wearer.

Referring now to Figs. 5 and 6 of the drawings, another foundation garmentis illustrated, in this instance a panty girdle-50, which includes an abdominal control panel 60, constructed according to the present invention and which comprises another specific embodiment thereof. The girdle 50 includesa front portion 51, a connected rear portion (not shown), leg portions 52, and hose support means for supporting hose which includes a plurality of garter support strap loops 53 secured to the lower marginal edges of the leg portions and which carry hose clasps or grips 54 for connection to the hose. The front, rear and leg portions of the girdle 50 are preferably formed integrally of elastic fabric of the'two-way stretch a type having both horizontal and vertical stretchability or extensibility but could also be formed of other elastic fabrics having one-way -or limited two-way'stretch properties, if desired. A separate soft fabric crotch 55 is provided for additional comfort to the wearer.

The front portion 51 of the girdle 50 is preferably cut-away to receive a generally truncated diamond-shaped elastic fabric'ins'ert 56, which desirably is of'the' same type of material as is used in the remainder of the garment. The insert 56 is positioned so as to generally overlie the abdomen of the wearer and is formed by a pair of vertically elongated transversely spaced pieces or seetions'56 a and 56b which are" marginally stitched'along their outer verticallyextending side edges 57 to the adjacent fabric of the garment and centrally to each other for a portion of their length along a common central vertical seam 58; The insert 56 also includes, in this instance, a centrally disposed vertically elongated oval opening 59, the peripheral edges of which, as indicated at 58a and 58b, form a divided continuation of the seam 58. It should beunderstood that the sections 56aand 56b. which make up'the insert 56, cou1d'be eliminated and the oval opening 59 formed directly in the front portion 51 of the-garment,"as an alternate construction, if desired.

t Referring now to Figs. 7 and 8 in conjunction with Figs. 5' and 6, it will be'seen that the abdominal control panel'-60'is generally of avertically elongated truncated diamond shape and is disposed on the inside of the front portion 51 of the garment so as to overlie the abdomen of the wearer in a manner similar to that of the previous embodiment. The abdominal control panel 60 preferably comprises a central ormain section 61 of one-way stretch elasticfabric, such as satinelastic, that is stretchable in a verticaldirection but wholly inelastic in a horizontal 'directionQas in the previous embodiment, and an intermediate V-shape elastic fabric insert of connecting section 62 oftwo way stretch'm'aterial connected to the lower marginal edge 63 of the main panel section 61.

The abdominal control panel 60 isconnected to the inside frontportion of the garment in a manner similar to the connection of the abdominal control panel 40' to the girdle 10 andisIth1is:stitchedalong an upper horizontal edge 64 of the main panel section 61 at the upper edge of the garment and along a .lower' V-shaped marginal edge 66 of the elastic insert 62. Preferably, the panel 60 is also attached centrally along the seam 58, which includes the dividedportions 58a and 58!), around the oval opening 59.? Wh'en the aforementioned alternate construction is employed the abdominal control panel 60 may be appliqued directly to, the inside of the front portion 51 of the garment, the.insert.56 and marginal stitching at the side edges 57;thereof being eliminated. The main panel portion' 61111118 .span'spthe oval opening 59 and in this embodirnent the gsatinaelastic material which makes up the panel 61 is'zarranged with its shiny surface facing outwa'rdly so aszto be visible from the front of the garment. Thisconstruction isyprimarily decorative to enhance the aesthetic appeal. of the garment.

'It is:tobe.noted'that in the abdominal control panel 60, the lower -V -sh'aped marginaledge 66 is stitched to theJfront portion 51 for a portion of its'length (Fig. '8) and? the apex;thereof extends downwardly to the crotch piece 55,:the ificludedangle e e beingqn e hatmore acutethan in the control panel 40. To this extent the abdominal control panel differs somewhat from the arrangement and shape of the abdominal control panel As in the previous embodiment of the invention, the V-shaped elastic fabric insert 62 maintains the horizontal elasticity of the garment which is necessary to accom modate the girth increase of the wearers body during bending or s-ittingand which would otherwise be restricted by a direct connection of the horizontal inelastic main panel section 61 to the front portion 51. To this end, the side edges of the abdominal control panel 60, indicated at 67, are free and unattached and are upwardly and inwardly tapered to maintain elasticity at the waist of the garment. stiffening means in the form of elastic tape or webbing 68 is also stitched to the unattached side edges 67 and is effective to prevent curling or wrinkling without restricting the overall vertical stretchability of the panel. The seam 58 and its upper transversely convex' divided portions 58a and 58b also serve to locate the abdominal control panel 60 adjacent the abdomen of the wearer and prevent shifting of the panel as well as minimizing anyte'ndencies of the panel fabric to bunch.

Thus, it will be appreciated that the general shape, ar-v 50.is substantially identical to that of the previous embodiment with the exception of the differences above described. t I

stantially identical in all respects tothe operation of the control panel 40 in that after the pantyv girdle 50 has been donned by; a wearer, the horizontal expansion or girth elongation .of the garment fabric when the wearer is in erect or standing'position is transmitted to the V-shaped elastic insert 62 and is there resolved into downward and outward force, components which tension the main panel section 61 to thus provide the desired abdominal control. Upon the wearers assuming a sitting or bending position, the novel shape and mounting of the control panel 60 is effective to releasethe tension force in the main panel section 61. thereby preserving the .wearers comfort without restriction. a

While only two specific embodiments of the present invention have been herein'illustrated and described, it should be understood thatv variations and modifications thereof may be effected without departing from the scope of thenovel concepts herein disclosed as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1.. In a foundation garment of the character described having a front portion and a connected rear portion, an abdominal control panel secured centrally to the front portion of said garment and cooperable therewith to support and flatten the wearers abdomen, said abdominal control panel being arranged to generally overlie the wearers abdomen and comprising a main panel section and a horizontally stretchable V-shaped insert connected to the lower marginal edge of said main panel section, said main panel section being connected along its upper marginal edge to the front portion of said garmentand said V-shaped insert being connected along its lower marginal edge tothe front portion of said garment with the side edges of said abdominal control panel free and unattached, whereby said abdominal control panel is tensioned when the wearer is in an erect position and is untensioned when the wearer is in a bending or sitting position.

2. In a foundation garment of the character described having a front portion and a connected rear portion, an abdominal control panel secured centrally to the front portion of said garment to support and flatten the wearers abdomen, said abdominal control panel being arranged to generally overlie the wearers abdomen and comprising a main panel section and a V-shapedelastie In use, the operation of the control panel 60 is subinsert connected to the lower edge of: said main panel section, said main panel section having an upper horizontal edge, a pair of free upwardly and inwardly tapering unattached side edges, and a V-shaped lower marginal edge, said elastic insert being stretchable at least horizontally and being connected to the lower V-shaped marginal edge of said main panel section, said main panel section being connected along its upper horizontal edge to the front portion of said garment and said V.-shaped elastic insert being connected along its lower marginal edge to the front portion of said garment, the side edges of said abdominal control panel thereby being free and unattached, whereby the unattached side edges of said abdominal control panel prevent reduction of the horizontal elasticity of said garment and said abdominal control panel is tensioned when the wearer is in an erect position and is untensioned when the wearer is in a bending or sitting position.

3. The garment of claim 2, further characterized in that said main panelsection is inelastic at least in a horizontal direction.

4. In a foundation garmentof the character described having a front portion and a connected rear portion, an abdominal control panel secured centrally to the front portion of said garment to support and flatten the wearers abdomen, said abdominalcontrol panel being arranged to generally overlie the wearers abdomen and comprising a main panel section anda V-shaped elastic insert connected to the lower marginal edge of said main panel section, said main panel section being of one-way stretch elastic material arranged to accommodate vertical stretching but to resist horizontal stretching and having an upper horizontal edge, a pair of free upwardly and inwardly tapering unattached side edges, and a V- shaped lower marginal edge, said elastic insert being of two-way stretch material arranged to accommodate both horizontal and vertical stretching and being connected to the lower marginal edge of said main panel section, said main panel section being connectedalong its upper horizontal edge to the front portion ofsaid garment and said V-shaped elastic insert being connected along its lower marginal edge to the front portion of said garment, the side edges of said abdominal control panel thereby being free and unattached, whereby the one-way stretch material of said main panel section and the two-way stretch material of said elastic insertcooperate to tension said abdominal control panel when the wearer is in an erect position and to untension said panel when the wearer is in a bending or sitting position.

5. In a foundation garment of the character described having a front portion and a connected rear portion, an abdominal control panel secured centrally to the front portion ofsaid garment to support and flatten the Wearers abdomen, said abdominal control panel being'arranged to generally overlie the wearers abdomen and comprising a main panel section having a V-shaped lower marginal edge and a V-shaped elastic insert connected to the lower marginal edge of said main panel section, said main panel section having an upper horizontal edge and a pair of free upwardly and inwardly tapering unattached side edges, said elastic insert being stretchable at least horizontally, and-stiffening means connected to the side edges of said main panel section, said main panel section being connected along its upper horizontal edge to the front portion of said garment and said Vshaped elastic insert being connected alongits lower marginal edge to the front portion of said garment, the side edges of said abdominal control panel thereby being free and unattached, whereby said stiffening means is operable to prevent curling and wrinkling of the side edges of said main panel section and said abdominal control panel is tensioned when the wearer is in an erect position and is untensioned when the wearer=is in abending or sitting position. i r

6. Thegarment of claim 5, further characterized in that said stiffening means is elastic tape or webbing.

7. The garment of claim 1, further characterized in that said abdominal control panel is also secured to the front portion of'said garment along a central seam that extends longitudinally for the full length of said panel.

8. In a foundation garment of the character described having an elastic front portion and a connected rear portion, an abdominal control panel secured centrally to the inside front portion of said gannent so as to generally overlie the wearers abdomen, said panel cooperating with said front portion to support and flatten the wearers abdomen and comprising a main panel section and a V.-shaped elastic insert connected to the lower marginal edge of said main panel section, said main panel section having a horizontal upper edge, a pair of free upwardly and inwardly tapering unattached sideedges, and a V- shaped lower marginal edge, said main panel section eing of one-way stretch material arranged to accommodate vertical stretching but to resist horizontal stretching, said elastic insert being of two-way stretch material arranged to accommodate both horizontal and vertical stretching and being connected along its upper marginal edge to the lower marginal edge of said main panel sec tion, and stiffening means secured to the free unattached side edges of said main panel section, said main panel section being connected along its, upper horizontal edge to the front portion of said garment and said V-shaped elastic insert being connected along its lower marginal edge to the front portion of said garment, the side edges of said abdominal control panel thereby being free and unattached, whereby said abdominal control panel is tensioned when the wearer is in an erect position and is untensioned when the wearer is in a bending or sitting position. v

9. In a foundation garment of the character described having a front portion and a connected rear portion, the combination of a V-shaped seam on said front portion generally overlying the groin-line of a wearer and an abdominal control panel secured centrally to the front portion of said garment for cooperation therewith to support and flatten the wearers abdomen, said abdominal control panel being arranged to generally overlie the wearers abdomen and comprising a main panel section having a horizontal upper edge and a V-shaped lower edge and a V-shaped insert.connected to the lower edge of said main panel section, said insert being stretchable at least horizontally, said main panel-section being connected along its upper horizontal edge to the front portion of said garment and said V-shaped insert being connected along its lower marginal edge to the front portion of said garment, such that the lower marginal edge of the insert coincides with and is connected to said V-shaped groin-line scam, the side edges of said abdominal control panel thereby being free and unattached, whereby said abdominal control panel is tensioned when the wearer is in an erect position and is untensioned when the wearer is in a bending or sitting position.

10. In a foundation garment of the character described having connected front, rear and leg portions defining a crotch therebetween, an abdominal control panel secured centrally to the front portion of said garment to support and flatten the wearers abdomen, said abdominal control panel being arranged to generally overlie the wearers abdomen and comprising a main panel section and an elastic insert connected to the lower marginal edge of said main panel section, said main panel section being of one-way strctchmaterial arranged to accommodate vertical stretching but to resist horizontal stretching and having an upper horizontal edge, a pair of free upwardly and inwardly tapering unattached side edges and a lower V-shaped marginal edge, said elastic insert having an elongated V-shape and being stretchable at least horizontallyand being connected to the lower marginal edge of said main panel section, the apex of said elastic insert r v 9 10 extending downwardly to the crotch of said garment, and is untensioned when the wearer is in a bending or said main panel section being connected along its upper sitting position. horizontal edge to the front portion of said garment and said elastic insert being connected along its lower marer c s Cit d in the file Of this patent ginal edge to the front portion of said garment, the side 5 UNITED STATES PATENTS edges of said abdominal control panel thereby beingfree and unattached, whereby said abdominal control panel 2507'593 611105105 May 1950 is tensioned by the coac-tion of said main panel section 2563308 C ase et a1 1951 and elastic insert when the wearer is in an erect position 2861'575 1958 

